Lopez under fire

[WitchSabrina]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/1 ... =webmail23

Jennifer Lopez is under fire from the Human Rights Foundation. The 43-year-old singer made waves last month when news broke that she sang "Happy Birthday" to Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, the controversial leader of Turkmenistan. Lopez's camp explained in a statement that the singer did not know about the country's oppressive rulings, saying, "Had there been knowledge of human rights issues any kind, Jennifer would not have attended."

After the performance was made public, the HRF looked into Lopez's history of performing for leaders with similarly polarizing views. In a statement on its website, the organization claims Lopez has earned "in excess of $10 million for serenading crooks and dictators from Eastern Europe and Russia."

HRF President Thor Halvorssen dismisses Lopez's explanation of lack of knowledge on Turkmenistan's politics, saying, "What those covering this story have missed is that J.Lo and her management have misled her fans and the public," adding, "J.Lo has repeatedly mingled with and entertained some of the world's worst thugs and their cronies. The 'Jenny-from-the-block-who-doesn't-Google' clarification may be credible in one instance, but it beggars belief in light of a pattern of repeated behavior. This is not about ignorance, it's about greed."

The human rights organization has outlined five performances that Lopez agreed to that the HRF takes issue with, including the show in Turkmenistan, a reported 2012 gig to sing for a Russian bureaucrat named Alexander Yolkin who has been accused of corruption, and a 2011 performance at a wedding which was attended by controversial Chechnyan leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

"The collective outrage that now follows Lopez's behavior is a categorical signal that it is not right to enjoy a free society, and then seek to profit from those who have acquired their riches from cronyism and the wholesale negation of human rights," Halvorssen added. "Performers are frequently blinded by greed and they willfully sidestep reality and become part of the public relations machinery of the world's worst people. They should be disqualified from having any moral standing to opine about matters involving human rights or business ethics."

[SGOS]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/human-rights-foundation-jennifer-lopez-millions-dictators_n_3597667.html?ncid=webmail23

Lopez's camp explained in a statement that the singer did not know about the country's oppressive rulings, saying, "Had there been knowledge of human rights issues any kind, Jennifer would not have attended."

I think that's unlikely.  If you decided to go to "Kerflopistan", or anyplace you never heard of before, you're going to at least google it first.  Someone in your travel group is going to google it.  I don't buy this at all.  It's just a financial opportunity for Lopez.  It's not like she's an arms dealer or something.  It's a bit sleazy maybe.  She's trying to play dumb to avoid looking sleazy.  Not sure she gains much from that strategy.

[WitchSabrina]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/human-rights-foundation-jennifer-lopez-millions-dictators_n_3597667.html?ncid=webmail23

Lopez's camp explained in a statement that the singer did not know about the country's oppressive rulings, saying, "Had there been knowledge of human rights issues any kind, Jennifer would not have attended."

I think that's unlikely.  If you decided to go to "Turnabekistan", or anyplace you never heard of before, you're going to at least google it first.  Someone in your travel group is going to google it.  I don't buy this at all.  It's just a financial opportunity for Lopez.  It's not like she's an arms dealer or something.  It's a bit sleazy maybe.  She's trying to play dumb to avoid looking sleazy.  Not sure she gains much from that strategy.

Agreed.

[Plu]

Considering this is the first time in years I've heard that name, it's possibly earned her more money than her regular career has.

[Johan]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/human-rights-foundation-jennifer-lopez-millions-dictators_n_3597667.html?ncid=webmail23

Lopez's camp explained in a statement that the singer did not know about the country's oppressive rulings, saying, "Had there been knowledge of human rights issues any kind, Jennifer would not have attended."

I think that's unlikely.  If you decided to go to "Turnabekistan", or anyplace you never heard of before, you're going to at least google it first.  Someone in your travel group is going to google it.

She almost definitely did not google it. She's an entertainer and she goes wherever her management books her. Vetting the gigs is management's job. More often than not, she probably has to write the name of the place she's playing on the back of her hand so she won't forget it before the end of the set and say thank you Toledo when she's actually in Istanbul. They're all just gigs in strange places to her I'd bet. I would suspect that someone in her management staff googled the place. But as these gigs tend to get very little press, there is very little reason not to do them and take the money.

I understand that people like to get their panties in a bunch over this sort of thing. But I also understand that people are for the most part morons. And I wonder how many of those morons would be willing to quit their jobs on the spot if they found out their boss endorsed politics or policies which they didn't agree with. I'd bet that number is pretty close to zero.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Yup Johan and besides..who gives a rats ass about J lopez anyway? For all I care she could go entertain Andres Brevick in a Norweigian prison and it wouldn't change my opinion of her one iota, but then I could give a rats ass what 99.999999% of celebrities are up to anyway. Most are arrogant shit fodder.

[Solitary]

I wish she would sing at my birthday party. :shock:   =D>  Solitary

[AllPurposeAtheist]

She's got a nice ass, but I'd put money on it a truck tire would fit in it comfortably. :roll:

[Jason78]

I think that's unlikely.  If you decided to go to "Kerflopistan", or anyplace you never heard of before, you're going to at least google it first.  Someone in your travel group is going to google it.  I don't buy this at all.  It's just a financial opportunity for Lopez.  It's not like she's an arms dealer or something.  It's a bit sleazy maybe.  She's trying to play dumb to avoid looking sleazy.  Not sure she gains much from that strategy.

You're at least going to book tickets and find out if you need shots or a visa to go there.  See if there's anything you need to know, like is the local wildlife dangerous?  Do I need to avoid drinking the water?  What are the local customs?  What are the chances of being locked up in a small dark cell never to see the light of day again?   That kind of thing.

[Plu]

I think that's unlikely.  If you decided to go to "Kerflopistan", or anyplace you never heard of before, you're going to at least google it first.  Someone in your travel group is going to google it.  I don't buy this at all.  It's just a financial opportunity for Lopez.  It's not like she's an arms dealer or something.  It's a bit sleazy maybe.  She's trying to play dumb to avoid looking sleazy.  Not sure she gains much from that strategy.

You're at least going to book tickets and find out if you need shots or a visa to go there.  See if there's anything you need to know, like is the local wildlife dangerous?  Do I need to avoid drinking the water?  What are the local customs?  What are the chances of being locked up in a small dark cell never to see the light of day again?   That kind of thing.

That's what you do if you aren't worth multiple million dollars and have people to do all that stuff for you. If you are worth multiple million dollars and you have people doing all that stuff for you, you just go in the plane, do the show, and go back in the plane.

[the_antithesis]

I wish she would sing at my birthday party. :shock:   =D>  Solitary

You'll need to become an oppressive dictator first.

[Johan]

FWIW, I'd fix the WIFI in Hitler's house if he was paying me. I'd probably make the password something he wouldn't like, but I'd still do the work and take the money and I wouldn't lose a moment of sleep over it.

[Colanth]

And I wonder how many of those morons would be willing to quit their jobs on the spot if they found out their boss endorsed politics or policies which they didn't agree with. I'd bet that number is pretty close to zero.

This is the opposite situation, though.  After more than one of these gigs, she didn't tell her manager that she's no longer performing for dictators?  Then it's her fault.

Plu, her name is as well-known in the US as the president's name is - maybe even more well-known.  And she's been well-known for many years.

[Jmpty]

I, ain't gonna play Sun City.

[Solitary]

I wish she would sing at my birthday party. :shock:   =D>  Solitary

You'll need to become an oppressive dictator first.

My wife thinks I am when I lock her in the bathroom. :shock:    Solitary